Moistening apparatus



Oct. 6, i925. 1,555,846

E. F. HODGKENS MO I STENING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, ezo 1 s-Sheet 1' msams Oct. 6, 1925-.

E. F. HQUGKINS MOISTENING APPARATUS Filed Oct- 18, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pat nted L 925? UNITED 5TATES PATENT (JFFICE.

EDWARD F. HO'DGKINS, {I BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIDN OF NEW) JERSEY.

MOISTENING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 18, 1920. Serial No. 417,813.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. Hons- KrNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and 5 State of Massachusetts. have invented certain Improvements in Moistening Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference charm acters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to moistening apparatus and is herein shown as embodied in an apparatus especially designed for wetting blanks such as the abrasive cloth pads used on bufling machines.

In molding abrasive cloth disks to make them fit the inflated rubber pads used on butting machines, it is found that the mold ing operation can be greatly facilitated and improved by moistening that portion of the abrasive cloth which is to be most changed in contour. This portion is a narrow ring situated near the periphery of the disk and it has hitherto been found difficult, if not impossible, to confine the moistening effect to the ring without wetting other parts of the pad and thus interfering with perfect molding.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for moistening blanks, such as abrasive cloth pads, throughout a predetermined area without also moistening other portions of the work. In

the illustrative embodiment, the moistening effect is confined to a designated area of the work by clamping the latter over concentric supporting walls, which also constitute a recess for a fluid, and then causing the fluid in the recess to move into contact with that portion of the work which covers the recess.

Other features and advantages of the in:

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section. of the moistening apparatus.

The work, shown best in Fig. 2, is a circular disk 1. of abrasive materialsuch as emery cloth, there being radial tabs around the periphery and a ring-sh aped portion 6 which it is desired to moisten preparatory to molding. For supporting the work and supplying it with liquid, there is provided a member comprising an outer wall or ring 8 of cylindrical form, and an inner wall 10 spaced from the outer wall to leave an annular recess for the liquid. The work is clamped over the walls and, if desired, a porous pad or felt ring 12 may be placed between the walls to allow the passage of a limited supply of liquid. This pad is supported by an apertured ring 14 mounted on suitable pins in the recess. The inner wall 10 is formed as part of the plate .6 in which are passages 18 communicating with the liquid holding recess and with pipes 20, 22, and 24 connected to a tank or container 90. To drain away any liquid that may be spilled over the inner wall 10, the lattermay have a retaining bottom wall 26 with an opening communicating with a suitable waste pipe 28. To drain away the liquid which may overflow the outer wall 8, there is secured to the latter a flange 30 having, apertures 32 through which the liquid may flow down into an annular space which is enclosed by a guard 34. The plate 16 within this annular space may have suitable channels communicating with the waste pipe 36 to carry away the surplus fluid. For centering the work over the supporting member, there is provided a semi-circular gage 38 of the same diameter as the abrasive disk and adapted. to engage the ends of the tabs 6 on the rear half of the disk. all the above described parts in place, they may be carried on a plate 44 secured by bolts 46 to a second plate 42 fastened to the bench 4:0.

For clamping the work over the liquid holding recess, there is provided a clamp plate 50 universally mounted on a ball 54 secured to a plunger rod 56. A felt ring or annular cushion 52 secured to the plate 50 To secure acts as a work contacting member on the side of the material opposite the pad 12. The rod 56 reciprocates vertically through and with a bar 58, a nut 60 and washer being threaded on the upper end of the rod so that the latter can be lifted with the bar 58. In order that the clamp may press yieldingly upon the work, a coiled spring 62 is interposed between the bar 58 and an adjustablestop collar 64 secured to the rod. For guiding the bar and the clamp plate vertically, the bar 58 may have connected at its ends guide rods 66 which are joined at their lower ends by a bar 68 which in turn is connected by means of links 70 to a treadle 72. These rods 66 slide in hearings in the base plates T4 of standards 76, the latter also having slide bearings 7 8 at their upper ends. To raise the bar 58 and the clamp plate 50 to release the work, springs 80 are interposed between the base plates 74 and adjustable stop collars 82 secured to the. rods 66.

For supplying water or other fluid to the work, there is mounted at the back of the apparatus a tank 84 from which the liquid may be allowed to trickle out of a spout 86, a suitable valve 88 being provided to regulate the supply. The liquid drops into a second. tank or container 90 having an outlet orwast-e pipe 92 from which surplus liquid may flow down the drip plate 94 into waste cup 96. In order to allow a rise in the level of the liquid in the tank, a valve 98 may be mounted. opposite the outlet on a lever 100 pivoted at 102to a bracket on the tank. spring 104 confined between the valve and an adjusting screw .108 on a bail-shaped bracket 106 acts to close the valve when per mitted by other mechanism to be described. The upper end of the lever 100 has a slotted arm .110 engaged by vertical arm 112 on a bell-crank lever pivoted at 114 to a bracket 116 secured to the tank. A horizontal arm 118 on the'bell-crank lever overlies a finger 120 which moves with the treadle. The tinger 120 is connected by an adjusting screw 122 to a bent bracket 124 which has an extension 126 secured to the bar 58 and slidably mounted on the rod 56. Another bracket having an angular extension 128 is secured to the bracket 124 and has a guide plate 130 to guide the lower end of the plunger rod 56.

To provide a positive means to raise the level of the water in the tank and in the liquid holding recess, whether or not suiiicient liquid is supplied to the tank for this purpose, there is provided a float or plunger 140 which can be depressed deeper into the liquid from a normal floating position. This float reciprocates in the tank and is secured to a hollow sleeve 142 guided in a cross bar 144 joining the upright brackets 146. The sleeve is further uided by a guide rod 148 secured to an upper cross bar 150 joining the brackets 146, the rod passing down through the sleeve to the bottom of the tank. To avoid waste of water, the outlet should be closed before the plunger or float is depressed intothe liquid deeper than the nor mal floating position, and therefore a lost motion engagement is established between the treadle-operated mechanism and the plunger. Connected to the bracket 124 is a movable forked extension 152 which isnormally spaced at a considerable distance above a stop collar 154 on the hollow sleeve 14-2. but arranged to engage the collar after a ncliminary vertical movement under control of the treadle.

In the operation of the apparatus, the operator placesthe abrasive cloth 2 over the walls 8 and 10 with the smooth side of the cloth downward and with the tabs 6 against the gage 38. Upon depressing thetreadle 72 the clamp plate 50 is brought into engagement with the work. During this movement, the finger 120 is withdrawn from beneath the arm 118 of the bell-crank lever and this allows the spring 104 to close the valve 98. Further depression of the treadle causes the cross-bar 58 to compress the spring. 62 yieldingly to hold the clamp plate against the work and, about this time, the forked extension 152 engages the stop collar 154 and pushes the float 140 deeper into the liquid, thus raising its level both in the tank and in the connected recess. The water in the recess between the walls 8 and 10 is normally maintained about on a level with the apertured ring 14 but, when the treadle is depressed as just described, the water will be raised into contact with the work lying on the porous pad 12. Upon releasing the treadle, the springs raise the cross bar 58 and the clamp plate, and the work may be withdrawn preparatory to inserting another piece. The finger 120 will also be raised into contact with the arm 118 to open the valve 100 against the tension of the spring 104, and the float and liquid will again find their normal level.

Although the invention has been illustrated. as embodied in a specific apparatus, it should be understood that the invention is in no way limited to the precise apparatus shown and described.

Having described my invention. what I claim is 2- 1. In an apparatus for moistening a designated area of an abrasive disc. an annu lar disc supporting member forming an an nular recess for a moistening fluid, an annular cushion for clamping a disc to the member over the recess, and means for moving the fluid in the recess against the disc to moisten an annular portion thereof.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of spaced cylindrical walls forming a fluid holding recess and a support for a piece of work, a member partly surrounding the walls and curved concentrically therewith to center the work,and mechanism for raising the fluid in the recess into contact with the work supported on the walls.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of spaced vertical walls forming a liquid holding recess, means to clamp a piece of work across the ends of the walls, and mechanism for forcing the liquid in the recess to the top of the Walls to moisten the work.

4:. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of concentric rings forming an annular recess to hold a moistening fluid, a clamp plate to hold a piece of work against the rings with an annular portion of the Work overlying the recess, and means to move the fluid in the recess against the work to moisten the annular portion 5. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of spaced walls forming a fluid holding recess and a support for a piece of work, a moistening pad secured between the walls to contact with the Work, and means for forcing the fluid in the recess against the pad to supply moisture to the work.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of concentric rings forming an annular recess to hold a liquid, a ring with liquid passages supported in the recess, and a moistening pad mounted on the ring for contact with a piece of work.

7. In an apparatus of the class described,

a pair of spaced walls forming a liquid holding recess and a support for a piece of 7 work, means for moving the liquid into contact with the work, and means to drain ofi any surplus liquid which. overflows the spaced walls.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a cup-shaped member having fluid passages, a ring surrounding the cup-shaped member and forming a recess joined to the fluid passages, a tank, andconnections between the tank and the passages to, supply liquid to the recess.

9. In a device of the class described, a member having a recess for liquid, a tank having an overflow outlet, means for supplying liquid to the tank, connections from a point in the tank below the outlet to the recess, a valve for the outlet, and means to actuate the valve to close the outlet in the tank to permit a rise in the level of the liquid in the tank and recess.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a work supporting member having a recess for liquid, a tank for supplying liquid to the recess and having an outlet, a valve for the outlet, a plunger in the tank, and mechanism for closing the valve and moving the plunger to raise the level of the liquid in the recess.

11.- In n pp r t s c h a s described,

a member having a recess for liquid, means to clamp a piece of work to the member, and mechanism actuated by the clamping means to raise the level of the liquid in the recess to moisten the work.

12. In an apparatus of the class described. a member having a recess for liquid, means to clamp a piece of work to the member, a tank having communication with the recess, and a plunger actuated by the clamping means for raising the level of the liquid in the tank and recess to moisten the work.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a member having a recess for liquid, means to clamp a piece of work to the member, a tank having an outlet, connections from the tank to the recess, and mechanism actuated by the clamping means for closing the outlet to permit a rise in the level of the liquid to moisten the work.

14:. In an apparatus of the class described, a member having a recess for liquid, means to clamp a piece of work to the member, a tank having an outlet, connections from the tank to the recess, a valve for closing the outlet in the tank, a plunger, and mechanism, actuated by the clamping means, for closing the valve and moving the plunger to raise the level of the liquid in the recess.

15, In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of spaced walls forming a liquid holding recess and a support for a piece of work, a tank having communication with the recess, a waste pipe in the tank below the level of the work support, and means constructed and arranged to close the waste pipe and raise the liquid in the recess into contact with the work.

16. In an apparatus of the class described. a work supporting member having a fluid holding recess, a clamp plate to hold the work against the supporting member, and a universal mounting for the clamp plate to insure uniform pressure on the work.

17 In an apparatus of the class described, a work supporting member having a fluid holding recess, a clamp plate movable against the work on the supporting member, mechanism to actuate the clamp plate, a device for causing the fluid in the recess to move against the work, and means for establishing a lost motion engagement of the actuating mechanism with the fluid moving device.

18. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of spaced vertical walls forming a liquid holding recess, the upper, edges of the walls terminating in a horizontal plane to form a support for a piece of work, a liquid container .having communi-- cation with the recess, a manually reciprocable plunger, and means for rapidly raising and lowering the level of the liquid in th e ess ee rris s m a f g he plunger into the liquid container to raise the liquid in the recess against the surface of the Work.

19. In an apparatus of the class de 5 scribed, a normally exposed work supporting member having a fluid holding recess,

and a movable clamping device to hold the Work against the supporting member, said clamping device being flexibly mounted and arranged to press the Work uniformly over 10 the entire outline of said recess.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDXVARD F. HODG INS 

